John O'Grady is a consulting economist specializing in the analysis of labour markets and human resources. He is a founding partner of Prism Economics and Analysis. John O'Grady holds an MA in economics from the University of Toronto. He is a member of the American Economics Association, the Canadian Association of Business Economists, the Canadian Industrial Relations Association and the Industrial Relations Research Association.

John has completed numerous studies of labour markets, trends in human resources, and skills needs. His work has focused primarily on the construction industry, the IT industry, and regulated occupations and professions. He has undertaken studies of the architecture profession, the engineering and technology professions, and various regulated trades. In addition to his consulting practice in labour market analysis, John also assists trade unions and employee organizations in their bargaining and arbitration activities, as well as in their representations to governments on policy issues.

In 1992, John was Visiting Senior Researcher at the Economic Council of Canada. At the Economic Council he completed two studies. The first reviewed the impact of compulsory arbitration in the public sector. The second examined the relationship between industrial relations and changes in work organization. Both studies were subsequently peer-reviewed and published. Copies are available in the Studies & Reports section. In his construction industry studies, John has frequently collaborated with Prof. Brenda McCabe of the Dept. of Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto.

John O'Grady's published articles deal primarily with labour market and industrial relations issues. He has also written on various aspects of pension policy and occupational health and safety policy. He undertook study tours in the United States and Sweden, focusing on labour market and trade adjustment issues. He has spoken at numerous conferences and seminars.

For several years, O'Grady served as Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of the North-South Institute. The NSI is an Ottawa-based research centre dealing principally with international development issues. John has managed election campaigns for various candidates at the federal, provincial and municipal level. He also has co-ordinated leader's tour activities.

John was previously the Research Director and Legislative Director at the Ontario Federation of Labour. Prior to joining the Ontario Federation of Labour, Mr. O'Grady was the representative in Asia for the Canadian Labour Congress and the Brussels-based International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. In that capacity, he acted as resident advisor to labour movements in Thailand, India and Sri Lanka. He was variously based in Singapore, Bangkok and Colombo with major assignments in India. He also undertook work in Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Fiji and Zimbabwe. Before taking up his Asian assignments, John served for a number of years as Assistant to the President of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.

John is currently Chair of the Institute for Work and Health. The IWH is a research institute focusing on occupational health issues and the demographic determinants of health. John is currently a member of the Board of Directors and President of the Toronto Business Development Centre. He was previously Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors of ORTECH Corporation. ORTECH was a crown corporation focusing on technology assessment.